The present invention relates to an improved folding seat for use with folding walkers, and particularly to a seat kit that can be quickly and simply attached to many walkers and affords instant security and comfort when a user of the walker feels faint or fatigued. Prior art folding walkers provide for limited mobility for users in need of assistance having limited reserve of strength. By permitting walking for patients otherwise committed to a wheel chair, the patient achieves more independence, however the need for assistance from care givers is still needed, particularly in the event the user tires and seeks a seated rest. Accordingly walkers are commonly used in home, extended health care facilities or hospitals because they help to reduce the personnel needed to assist persons having limited mobility.
Applicant is aware of other prior art devices which provide different forms of foldable seats having some of the operational features of the present invention for use with conventional walkers. Reference is hereby made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,826,240, 4,907,839, 4,643,211, 2,798,533, 5,224,721, and 1,448,783. The above noted U.S. Patents are representative of the current state of the art with respect to the subject matter of the present invention. The above noted prior art includes many problems or disadvantages. For instance, they are typically designed for use with standard rigid walkers and employ uncomfortable seat materials such as flat hard seat panels. In addition, with respect to the attachment devices, they are often flawed by lack of ease of attachment to structural members of the walker frame elements which limit their ease. Another common flaw is the lack of structural soundness and reliability to provide support for an extended period of time. Furthermore, the prior art foldable seats typically require specifically directed activity on the part of the user for moving the seat from an inoperative position to an operative position and insuring that the seat is in a secure condition. A further disadvantage of prior art folding seats is that they are not intended to be used for an extended period of time such as viewing television programs in a community area where seating is limited.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide for the rapid and easy movement of a collapsible seat into an operative position from a retracted inoperative position with a minimum of articulation of the user's hand. A critical feature accordingly must use one or both hands on the walker in addition to both feet for mobility. Accordingly, at such time as the user wishes to place the collapsible seat into an operative position, only one hand typically is available for use, the other being used to hold the walker for balance. Furthermore, users typically have impaired vision as well as reduced strength such that it is important that the folding seat have a handle for movement of the foldable seat into an operative position that is both easy to see and easy to operate in a "fail safe" mode.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide for a new and improved folding seat apparatus for use with walkers which is lightweight, easy to operate and which is configured to fit different types of walkers (both folding and standard fixed) to a retrofit seat kit designed for different types of walkers and to a method of installing the kit which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of prior art.